Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-01-07
LAND FRAUDS.
Something Further from Hardeman
County Concerning the Lo0seness
in the Execution OF Land Laws.
A System Which Even Permits Citizen
of Great Britain to be an "Actual
Settler' in Texas.

QUANAH, TEX, Jan. ), 1857.
To the Editor of the Gazette.
In recent communication of mine to
THE GAZETTE l attempted to call atten-
ton in general way to the numerous
and open violations of the laws regalat-
ing the sale and settlement of the public
school land. In this communication l
wish to call attention to few particular
instances, combining myself to Hardeman
county, although when the facts are as
certained it will be seen that Hardeman
county is not an exception.
The act of 1888, creating the state
land board and placing the school land
on the market, was intended as much to
keep them out of the hands of specula-
tors, for the benefit of those wanting
homes, and to settle them, as to aug
ment the school fund. To this end the
should be awarded to any one person.
placing the maximum of agricultural
land at GAO acres and of grazing land at
seven sections. 1t also provided thai none
of these lands should be awarded until
classified by those duly authorized
by law to classify them. But
the state land board, rresuming
on the equal justice of all men, concluded
TO make awards on the classifcations of
the applicants. In this manner a
large area of the finest land in Hsrdeman
county, and to all appearances, as fine as
there is in Texas, has been awarded to
various parties in amounts Of seven sec
lions each. OF those who are thus hold
ing lands from actual settlers, and con-
trary to both the spirit and letter of the
statute, may be mentioned A. A. Fried,
who holds seven sections, on
one of which is part of the
town of Quanah, the others being
in the neighborhood thereof. OF these
seven sections it may be stated that there
is nov on file in the office of the secretary
of the state land board, an affidavit of the
present surveyor of the Hardeman land
district, and another reputable citizen of
Hardeman county, to the fact that they
are not grazing lands, but on the con-
trary very fine agricultural sections.
AS fine section of country as the eyes
of man ever beheld is on Wanderers
creek, between Vernon and Quanah. On
the 18th day of November, 1883,
before scarcely any of the land
in this section was taken, W.
L. Eustis filed on seven sec
tions, in the vicinity of this creek, which
were afterwards awarded to him, thus
getting pick and choice. K.O'Donald also
has seven sections in tAis vicinity. O5her
parties owning seven sections each, in
ttfs county, and all north of Pease river,
are W, F. Colt, a. j. HUMPHREYS, A. Z
Knatt, j. W. johnson and others. These
SeYen-section files were generally the
first made, and are choice sections. All
and around these seven sections
farmers have, and are continuing, to set
tie, only too glad to get one section,
while many of them only take half ori
quarter section.
Unless the present legislature 4sdoes
to "break up" this seven-sec-
ton trayesty on law, Hardemsn county is !
destined 10 remain long time in thei
background SO far as schools, churches,i
etc , are concerned, since the most valn-
able part of her territory is held by these
spectators, who ask larger "Oonuses"
for their prior claims than the farmer will
give, as long as there is any school land
ahead.
The act of 1888, referred to, also
makes actual settlement condi- |
Of title to the school lands just as occu- !
pancy is condition precedent to &C
luirement of title under the presumption
law. This seems to be almost universally |
and bids fair TO become |
source of untold litigation, while it may
entail upon many an honest man the loss
Of all he has. For instance, our sheriff,
county judge and district and county
clerk each has section of land which
ne is trying to hold as an actual set
Ter, yet each one lives in town, leaving
lis section to be "held down" bya tenant.
Sections 276. 290 ard 32S are all claimed
~ MIR. Smidt of Vernon, and proprietor
If the Commercial Hotel at that place.
Section $50 is held by Il. T. Thacker of
indian Territory.
Section $50 is held by NJ. f. Thacker, a
merchant VINO resides in Margaret.
Sections 80 and 81 are held by Thomas
Stay and d. T. Stay, who resides in Ellis
county.
Section Sl2 is held by W. Freiberg of
Wichita Falls.
Sections l02, 1913, l7s. 90, $50 and l92
lave been awarded about eighteen
months. The owners otIthese sections, are
ZACH and hsve.rbeen during all
his time, residents and business men OF